Finding out about Digital Technologies – Bee Bots    15/01/19

Hi,

today we were discussing the use of programmable toys in education. To be perfectly honest I already knew about this type of technology being used within the classroom. Before coming to university to study teaching I was a classroom assistant and I had come across these little guys in a closed drawer. On approaching the class teacher (who was in her senior years) I asked about the Bee Bots. Her answer was rather brief and I got the impression it was not something she found of value in her teaching and suspected it maybe because the technologies of the present times was beyond her and so she had not considered the process of using them. So, I was particularly interested on finding out how to use them and the value of using them for teaching in primary school.

Our lecturer explained that these learning toys had been about since the 1960’s with the invention of the programming language called Logo by Seymour Papert. The original purpose of the programmable toys was to help children learn about programming and controlling the movement of an object. In my own time I read a document by Pekarova Janka  http://www.terecop.eu/downloads/simbar2008/pekarova.pdf

The document interestingly describes the many benefits of using technology in the classroom, including

• Hands on learning
• Problem solving
• Challenging
• Cross curricular learning
• Creativity
• Direct feedback

The National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) also points out the cross curricular support of using Bee Bot and underlines the specific use for assessment and special educational needs. Floor Robots NCTE ICT in the classroom ref: 12-06

I was beginning to see how technologies could be of great advantage within the classroom even before I had tried out the process myself, just by applying what I already knew about computer based games, apps, and the vast mount of information ready at our finger tips with the points made above by Janka P.

I was also particularly interested to read one disadvantage of using technology pointed out by Loveless A. Who says that the confidence and lack of knowledge by teachers in many classrooms means these technologies are often over looked or not used correctly. “Currently constraint by a number of factors: her own confidence in using fast-changing technologies; the access to ICT resources within her school at times and in spaces which were useful…” (Loveless. A. And  Dove B. P4, 2002)

Now it was time to try out my own skill and learning. Our task in class was to design a mat for a bee bot which enhanced learning in a curricular area. We had four hours to design and create. I choose to combine maths and modern language. This is what I came up with.

To play the game the children have to choose a card from the top of the pile. The card has an addition calculation within ten, once they have the answer they can check on the back of the card that they are correct and then they have to find the number as a word in french on the map and program the bee bot to find its way there. If it is correct they get 2 counters and partly correct one counter. The person with the most counters wins.

I decided to aim at primary 2/3 first level given the cross curricular aspect. I decided the learning outcomes would be as follows:

• MNU 1-03a maths, I can use addition, subtrction, multiplication and division when solving problems, making bet use of the strategies nd written skills I have developed.
• MLAN 1-08a modern languages, I can recognise labels and environmental print. I am begining to organise images and text. I can sequence images and text to demonstrate my understanding.
• TCH 1-01a digital literacy, I can explore and experiment with digital technologies and enhance my learning in different contexts.

While I was thinking about the design and what the aims would be for the child to play it I began to realise that the diversity and depth of learning was far greater than what could be done with rote, repeat or text book and would certainly be much more fun! I could see they would be reinforcing mental maths and exploring positional language and estimation. Learners would be recognizing numbers written in french, as well as enhancing their computer literacy and working collaboratively all of which are important life skills for their future. “The curriculum introduces programmable toys as a good example for developing knowledge and understanding of the contemporary world” (Janka, 2008, p.2).

It is easy to dismiss the idea of technology playing a part in learning if you are not knowledgeable yourself. Now that I have taken the concept of the Bee Bot and what I know about experiences and outcomes to design an interactive game I can see how important it is that I embrace this type of learning and integrate it in my practice. Children will readily engage in learning through play and the benefits in scope for learning with technology far out way any fear of the complexity of learning how to use it and implementing it in the classroom program.

Logging off until next week…

References

Janka, P. (2008) Using a Programmable Toy at Preschool Age: Why and How?

[Online] http://www.terecop.eu/downloads/simbar2008/pekarova.pdf

[Accessed: 14th January 2019]

NCTE (National centre for Technology in Education) (2012) NCTE Floor Robots – Focus on Literacy & Numeracy.

[Online] http://www.ncte.ie/media/NCTE_Floor_robots_focus_on_literacy_numeracy_primary_12-06.pdf [Accessed: 14th January 2019]